Outdoor Foundation examines youth participation

February 3, 2010

The Outdoor Foundation has released a Special Report on Youth—a new
research report detailing youth participation in outdoor recreation.
Focusing on youth ages 6–24, the report reveals, among other findings,
the most popular outdoor activities among youth, the frequency of youth
participation in outdoor activities, the motivations and barriers of
young outdoor participants and the most underrepresented demographics
in youth outdoor participation.

“Today’s young hikers, campers,
climbers and paddlers are tomorrow’s adult outdoor enthusiasts and
conservationists, but sadly fewer and fewer youth are heading outdoors
each year,” said Christine Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor
Foundation. “The United States is now facing an unprecedented public
health and conservation problem. Reconnecting youth with the outdoors
has become critical to the health of future generations and the health
of our natural landscapes.”

With the vital new information
detailed within the Special Report on Youth, The Outdoor Foundation
seeks to provide youth organizations, public agencies, businesses and
non-profits with insights needed to get youth outside. The report dives
deep into youth participation in outdoor activities—from detailing the
demographics and geography of youth outdoor participation to reporting
the youth participation rate and median age of over 30 different
outdoor activities.

The Special Report on Youth is based on
extended analysis of data collected for the foundation’s Outdoor
Recreation Participation Report, produced annually by The Outdoor
Foundation. The report draws on the responses of over 40,000 Americans
ages 6 and older captured in an online survey covering 114 different
activities. The survey is the largest of its type examining
participation in sports and outdoor activities.

A few of the key findings in this report include:

Total
Participation — Nearly 60 percent of American youth ages 6–24
participate in outdoor recreation. In recent years, participation has
fallen each year.

Frequency of Participation — American youth made an estimated 4.26 billion outdoor excursions in 2008.

Motivations — Parents, friends and family
introduce the most youth to the outdoors. Most youth enjoy the fun,
relaxation and exercise of outdoor activities most.

Barriers — A
lack of interest and a lack of time are the top barriers keeping youth
non-participants in outdoor recreation indoors.

Adults with
Children in their Household — Adults 18 and older with children,
1–17, in their household participate in outdoor recreation at higher
levels than adults without children in their household.